On 5 Feb Google celebrated Safer Internet Day. On this day Google released two important updates to protect user data, including your usernames and passwords. Google launched a neat extension for the desktop version of chrome, is called Cross Account Protection.To keep your usernames and passwords secure from hackers and various attacks, Google has collected a massive dump of around 4 billion compromised credentials. When you install the extension called Password Checkup on your chrome browser, it matches the data you have shared with Google with the one typed in and tells you if any of the entries was hacked. Then this extension will trigger an automatic warning and suggest changing your password.It is terrible using someone else’s username and password, but it is more terrible when one actually getting into your Google account. It could be very harmful if you store card data, online banking accounts and other sensitive information online. Cross Account Protection extension comes in handy when some protections haven’t extended to the app you use for Google Sign in.With this extension Google will tell apps and sites that have implemented the login option that an account was hacked. Instead of leaking all kinds of sensitive information, the breached host will only know the fact of security events happening and when did that occur. This beautiful feature was developed with Adobe, Open ID Foundation and Internet Engineering Task Force.Password Checkup was developed with the support of cryptography experts at Standford University.

Protect Your Accounts In 4 Easy Steps

With above 4 steps you can re-secure your passwords.

How Does It Work?

You need to install Password Checkup extension in your system because chrome does not come with it being inbuilt in the browser.Password checkup compare the username and passwords provided by the users against the database of 4 billion credentials belonging to various data breaches. This extension displays a red alert box in case of positive match and suggest users to change the password.